The present invention relates to non-prism type automatic surveying equipment and a three-dimensions measuring method or the like, which measure a distance to an object to be measured without using specific reflecting means (reflecting prism or the like) used for distance measurements, and particularly to an automatic surveying apparatus and a three-dimensions measuring method or the like, which are capable of computing arbitrary three-dimensional coordinate positions, distances and areas or the like from distance and angular data, etc.
A piece of conventional automatic surveying equipment or apparatus has performed collimation measurements using reflecting prisms located at necessary points and carried out instrumentation. When, for example, an architecture is measured, reflecting prisms are placed in predetermined measuring positions, the corners of the architecture, the corners of a window frame, etc. Further, the automatic surveying apparatus is directed substantially toward the architecture to start measuring.
The automatic surveying apparatus rotates a collimator so that it scans a predetermined range and successively detects the reflecting prisms placed in predetermined positions. This type of collimator can be rotated vertically and horizontally by motor-driven means and is capable of automatically performing collimation at each arbitrary position. An angle detector is attached to each of a vertical rotatable shaft and a horizontal rotatable shaft used to rotate the collimator and is constructed so as to be able to detect the direction of the rotated collimator.
The collimator applies scanning light to each reflecting prism placed in the predetermined position. When the scanning light is reflected from each reflecting prism, the reflected light is launched into the collimator again. The reflected light is converted to a light-detected signal by a photoreceptor or light receiving element. Thereafter, the direction of the collimator is specified based on an angular signal of the angle detector attached to each of the vertical rotatable shaft and the horizontal rotatable shaft. Further, the distance to each reflecting prism is measured by a lightwave range finding device, so that the position up to the corresponding reflecting prism is specified.
Further, each measured value to be determined is converted on a plane-coordinate system map, based on the position of the automatic surveying apparatus, which is a known point.
However, the conventional automatic surveying apparatus has a problem in that although the reflecting prisms must be placed in the predetermined positions of the object to be measured and there is an advantage in measuring a number of measuring points plural times, survey working terminated in one measurement involves much waste and reduces working efficiency.
Further, a problem arises in that when the outside shape of an architecture is measured as in the case of sections or the like of a building, a tunnel, etc., a reflecting prism must be placed in an external exposed point, thus entailing danger.
The present invention relates to a non-prism type automatic surveying apparatus and a three-dimensions measuring method or the like, which measure a distance to an object to be measured without using a reflecting prism or the like. A lightwave range finder capable of performing non-prism measurements has an angle measuring unit and a distance measuring unit. Arithmetic processing means for recognition can recognize an object to be measured according to image processing. The angle measuring unit and the distance measuring unit can respectively measure distances to and angles relative to at least three specified points on a plane xcex1 including measuring points of the object to be measured. The angle measuring unit can measure angles relative to each individual measuring points. A computing unit can determine an equation for specifying the plane xcex1 from the distances to and angles relative to the specified points, determine an equation indicative of a straight line for connecting the measuring points from the angles relative to the measuring points, and compute a measuring point corresponding to a point where the plane xcex1 and the straight line intersect.
A typical one of various inventions of the present inventions has been shown in brief. However, the various inventions of the present application and specific configurations of these inventions will be understood from the following description.